This is a fascinating data visualization site worth a look.
Some of the visualizations makes one wonder their use or veracity (porn
searches) but they all provide some great talking points, demonstrating the
power of spatial technology. Here are
just three of the ones I found most interesting.

Personal spaceHow much space each person has in some of the
world's major cities? The interactive shows 20 countries and each is represented
by a circle sized by average square feet per person. Of course, as with
population density, this data is broad with land distribution and usage to
consider, but it's informative from a general viewpoint.

The map shows a sample of locations across the country, and line length
represents distance to the nearest store. For example, in areas with a lot of
lines headed to one spot is an area with fewer grocery stores. In contrast,
mostly small line segments mean more grocery stores, and therefore less
distance to travel to buy groceries.

Places where residents have limited access to grocery stores are called food deserts.

For a country that features the word United so prominently in its
name, the U.S.
is a pretty fractious place. The country is split along fault lines of income,
education, religion, race, hyphenated origin, age and politics. Then too
there’s temperament. We’re coarse or courtly, traditionalist or rebel, amped up
or laid-back. And it’s no secret that a lot of that seems to be determined by —
or at least associated with — where we live.

Now a multinational team of researchers led by psychologist and American
expat Jason Rentfrow of the University
of Cambridge in the U.K. has sought
to draw the regional lines more clearly, literally mapping the American mood,
with state-by-state ratings of personality and temperament.

Welcome to the 2014 teaching year. One of our first tasks with a class is to turn them on to geography and all that it encompasses. Here are just a few of the great video resources on-line that may have a place in your first few lessons of motivation and stimulation! As the Australian Curriculum: Geography states as its first aim is to ensure that students develop:

a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect about places, people, cultures and environments throughout the world

Here are just a few interactive sites to support the teaching of population and diversity in the Australian Curriculum: Geography. In particular these sites would be excellent to use in Year 6 with a focus on the diversity of peoples and cultures around the world and The Year 10 'Geographies of human wellbeing' unit.

The map shows population density; the brightest points are the highest
densities. Each country is colored according to its average annual gross
national income per capita, using categories established by the World
Bank (see key below). Some nations— like economic powerhouses China and
India—have an especially wide range of incomes. But as the two most
populous countries, both are lower middle class when income is averaged
per capita. The map also shows a wide range of demographic data associated with economic development

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Who am I?

I have taught history, geography and civics and citizenship in the South Australian education system since 1976. I have been actively involved in the promotion of geography and history over the years, in particular the use of spatial technology in schools. I am a Past Chair of the Australian Geography Teachers' Association (Chair 2008-13) and Immediate Past President of the Australian Alliance of Associations in Education (2013-present). During the development of the Australian Curriculum: Geography I was a member of the ACARA Advisory Panel (2009-2013) and Executive Director of the ESA GeogSpace project. From 2007-2011 and in 2015 I was the Manager for the Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) in the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development (DECD). Presently I am a Teaching Academic in HaSS Education at the University of South Australia and the Manager for the Premier's ANZAC Spirit School Prize in DECD.